Fixtures Game-week 38 – FPL Fantasy Football Premier League
And now, the end is near;
And so I face the final curtain
My friend, I’ll say it clear
I’ll state my case, of which I’m certain
Regrets, I’ve had a few;
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course;
Each careful step along the byway
But more, much more than this
I did it my way
Yes, there were times, I’m sure you knew
When I bit off more than I could chew
But through it all, when there was doubt
I ate it up and spit it out
I faced it all and I stood tall;
And did it my way
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Well, whatever you did, however you did it, be proud. Be proud that you have seen it through, and come what may you have given it your best shot. Be proud that you have contributed and hopefully helped many fellow fantasy managers along the way. Be proud that they have helped you. But most of all be proud that you did it your way. The end is certainly nigh and with it we bring you our final Fixtures article of the season…
For once we can’t advise that you look ahead for your player selections. This is it and as such you can finally pick players based purely on this week and not worry that they may have a nightmare run ahead of them but a beauty of a fixture this week. As such we shall take a look at this weeks fixture list and tell you where we think you should be focusing your attentions and who to avoid.
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Usually when we consider fixtures we look to form, strong against weak, who has a great home fixture etc. This week is probably the one exception though as unfortunately there is so little to play for with the exception of two teams. 4th and 5th places are decided, the relegation places may well all be done already so really it’s just the small matter of the the title itself that is left up for grabs and even that may be a foregone conclusion.
Usually GW38 produces some strange results because there is so little left at stake for so many. Remember Man Utd 5 – 5 West Brom. The big variable this season is that the majority of teams have nothing to play for but also have a lot of players who have a massive World Cup to look forward to. Now if that was me I imagine I would be taking the proverbial stroll in the park this week so as not to get injured ahead of the World Cup and who could blame them. Multiply that thought process out by how many World Cup candidates there are in the PL and that may tell you how many players will be paying lip service to GW38… Yes, lots of them…
So the only two teams that will likely have anything to play for will be Liverpool and Man City. Assuming Man City beat Villa tomorrow night then they have it all to lose on Sunday. Victory at home against West Ham will then see them lift the title. A feat that seemed unlikely a fortnight ago as Liverpool were steam- rollering all before them until they ran into the Chelsea bus. And then the Pulis one. Well ok that one wasn’t so much a bus as a comeback train but either way…
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So putting aside the importance or otherwise of fixtures the obvious candidates this week are the following –
Man City
At home in a must win game. Need we say more? They have been strong all season, especially at the Etihad and we expect this will be no different. In fact should they get an early goal or two then the floodgates may open.
Liverpool
Their only hope now is a City slip-up of Gerrard-esque proportions. They may as well go out on a high regardless and as such we expect they will tonk the hapless Newcastle this week. Load up on Liverpool players this week and share in their glorious failure!
Chelsea
Mourinho et al travel to a relegated Cardiff and the least you would expect would be a clean sheet but perhaps also they will throw off the shackles finally and unleash Hazard upon the doomed Welsh outfit. Perhaps.
Arsenal
The Gunners put on a very typical end of season show last time out with a laboured 1-0 win over West Brom. In fact it was perhaps a lesson in what to expect this weekend – a load of talented players doing just enough to get the win, satisfy the fans and ensure they get on the plane to Rio unscathed.
Sunderland
At the time of writing Sunderland actually come in to the category of a team who has something to play for. They need 1 point out of their 2 remaining fixtures to secure their place in the Premier League next season. The fact is that they may well have done so already come Sunday and as such their game against Swansea will be much like the rest – a dead rubber.
Tottenham
Again a team with nothing to play for but any home game against a team called Villa should be 3 points in the bag you would imagine. That’s the theory anyway but with so little to play for in both camps we could as easily see a 0-0 as a 5-5.
Fixture Fun
There are of course still three games left in GW37 so watch those closely for any injury news, both tonight and tomorrow, but other than that there are no European games left with all of our clubs having exited stage left already.
We sincerely hope that we have been of some assistance this season in helping you to navigate the fixtures and all of their nuances such as the double game-weeks. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking the time to read Fixtures this season and commenting on it also. We shall have our usual line-up of articles this week with Tips, Team Talk and Captains Picks to follow but from Fixtures this is the final one and we bid you farewell until GW1 of 2014/15!
Thanks for reading Fixtures Game-week 38, this article was written by Inittowinit
Need a Yaya and Demi masterclass tonight as well as a Dzeko and Nasri blank, my rival is 1 point behind me! :s
De Gea screwed me over, can’t believe I’d have been better off buying Mannone or sticking with Adrian!
Not after a full RMT for 38, but opinions on an Aguero replacement would be most appreciated.
Cheers for the site this year guys. Good hustle! Very informative and fun. It’s a decent wee place to come on and have a laugh
Tell you what, mighty impressed with some of your positions overall. I’m hitting around the lowly 150,000-200,000 mark… but hey, i turned 18 this year, so many of my decisions will have been made whilst pretty hammered, or at least incredibly hungover! Hope it’s still active somewhat over the summer.
Cheers Milo. The site will be open for business throughout the summer, after all we have a WC to deal with!
Ahhh.. grand
Guys
Cookie, Init, Kop, Mito, Potty, TJ, Bench and all the guys that have contributed to this wonderful site, I doff my cap in your general direction.
We all lead busy lives and to put in the work and effort that you have to keep us guys thouroughly entertained and informed over the FPL season and make the site the premier place to be is an achievement you should all be proud of. I know there was talk after the demise of the previous very good fantasy cheat, but you have gone on and actually improved what was an already terrific web offering and must be proud to know you have the best site not just in the UK, but globally.
I have had the toughest of times over the past few weeks, involved in a car crash I should not have walked away from, and in which the other person involved didnt, and this site has proved such a welcome distraction from the stuff that happens in the real world. I am acutely aware others have had equally tough times, but a daily read of the stuff you guys put up on here is amongst the best of tonics available.
On a personal success level, my long term side is now a top 10k regular with a high of 5k….beyond any wild expecatation I had pre season and dizzy heights for me. My 247 side (I have 2 for a reason which I wont bore you with and will defend til the cows come home) has reached the shield semi, and is battling for promotion from league 2, tho will go down to the last game now. My game has improved vastly, and most of that is down to you lot.
If I have ommitted anyone from my list then include yourselves, and all the regular contributers make this such a great site, Billybob, Raz and others too numerous to mention ,and I hope all of your seasons finish on a high.
The WC will be a mild distraction, the UPL interests me only slightly, as the exsiting tried and trusted format is I think where FPL belongs and will remain my focus.
But thanks all, and if you need or desire more input from me with regard articles or admin (Bench?), I will put happy to offer my services. I know the ‘game’ having gone through 1300 1st class games this year, played at senior amatuer and now vets level, so have fair insight into the game, tho like us all am still learning each season.
Heartfelt thanks, and keep up the good work lads. Great to be part of such a great community.
Lastly Friday and Monday are huge games in a season that for most is over, being a QPR fan, so hopefully I will be able to put the real team I support on this site next season not my adopted one of Palace, whose ground I am a stones throw from.
Thanks again, good luck in the shiled Gallow and Cookie, and look forward to being part of it all again next season.
Best
Drexl
Thanks Drexl for such kind words.
I think we can all get somewhat caught up in the world of FPL from time to time (I’m in a terrible mood as a result of the current GW) but as you have demonstrated over recent weeks it is only a game and we all have bigger issues to deal with….but FPL is still quite important 😉
Anyway I hope you’re taking good care of yourself and as you said the WC will get us all through the summer
Hoi goys! Very well said Drexl&Milo, very well said indeed. It pained me to leave you all for two months or so but sometimes needs must. I wasn’t aware of your accident Drexl, i hope you are keeping well mate.
Welcome back NIN
Cheers Kop, t’is good to be back.
Couldn’t agree more with this.
This website is absolutely brilliant – thanks to all the tireless work you guys put in. The advice in the comments is always spot on, too.
I’ve had quite a few things go on over the course of the season outside of FPL and this has been a great distraction. Thanks to work, I’m not on as much as I would like however I will try to turn that around next season somehow! Will obviously ensure I regularly check in over the summer, too.
My wife-to-be is always taking the pee out of me for coming on here, saying I’m being a geek. Pfft, what does she know?!
One thing I’ve thought of in the past would be that it would be good for us all to meet up somewhere – meet the faces behind the avatars! I live in Worcester and so, I suppose, would suggest
the Midlands as a location! I know there are people from abroad, though, and so wouldn’t want to feel like people were being left out.
Cheers again for a brilliant site anyway, guys. My team has taken a hefty downturn of late (dropped 8,000 places to around 19,500) however I’ve as good as won the league that matters (the cash league at work – money and bragging rights at stake!). I’ve never finished in the top 100,000 before and so this has still been a very successful season.
Cheers Swirly.
Some sort of a meet up would be great but as you’ve pointed out we don’t all live in the UK 😉
Drexl
Well said mate.
I obviously missed your news so I’m very pleased to hear you are alright, that does bring priorities into crystal clear light. Go from strength to strength good sir.
This place is fantastic. I find that even when work and family have my time taken up, I always have a window open somewhere with this site on show. Can be hard to contribute all of the time but those that do – the men you have mentioned – champions the lot of them.
Thanks drexl for your kinds words, and i may take you up on your offer
. Also did you once play for Leeds ?
Afternoon all,
How is everyone? I can’t believe how bad has this GW turned out, however that being said I still have managed to see a few green arrows even though I took a -8 hit!!
Anyway I’m sat in my hotel room sunburnt to hell and I’ve been thinking about this final GW. For the first time in ages I’m stumped on what to do!! The plan was to bring in Sturridge and silva for Rooney and mata!! But with the way it is will Liverpool still be banging the goals in?
So here’s my question if you could put a team together for the final GW who would it have?
So Who is Eveyone going to Captain For GW 38 ..? Suarez,Yaya or Dzeko,Sturridge For Differential !!
I hate to be boring, but surely Suarez! Who are you thinking of?
It got to be Suarez !!
Dzeko
Tekno, did you get my email yesterday mate?
Kop
Yes I did – it’s not the first time my mail ends up in the spam folder. Let me know if you need anything!
Will do, thanks mate.
JEET
In all seriousness, I may go Coleman or Ivanovic. Nothing to play for but pride and may go against the grain in the final week.
Hello Guys , as some of you will know i am assigning Qualification Leagues places, be check your e-mail to reserve your spot ! Thanks to those who have reply